Trench Collapse Kills Construction Worker

NW, Wash. DC – A worker was killed when a trench collapsed on him at a construction site in the 4600 block of Dexter Street, NW.

The trench collapsed on the unidentified worker, trapping him for two hours – and what started out as a rescue operation, turned into a recovery.

Crews worked for hours to free the man after the trench collapsed Tuesday morning. D.C. Fire and EMS announced Tuesday afternoon that the worker had died.

The worker was trapped 20 feet underground when part of the foundation of the house he was working on collapsed. The cause of the collapse was not immediately known.

For every foot that someone is trapped, it generally takes about an hour to free him or her, according to DC first responders. The trench was very unstable, the fire department said on Twitter Tuesday morning.